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"SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig! (A couple new pics:cleaned up bottles)

jgas

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"SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig! (A couple new pics:cleaned up bottles)

Hello again everyone from the depths of Mother Earth. Don and I got out again and dug a privy that appears to have dated from around 1880-1890. Started out by chopping and hacking through a ton of roots. Seems like all the pits this season are surrounded by trees. But as they say in the pit digging world, the roots are hiding the treasure ;D

Started out with a broken blob beer which was a good sign of things to come. Found some glass buttons and a shattered glass marble pretty close to the surface along with the usual "Bottle Bombs" (bricks) >:( But as we got down around the 5 foot mark we found some medicines and a ton of broken pottery and plates. We felt the "use layer" and we new, or hoped there would be some keepers down below. :)

Finally I was entering the layer and pulled out a Medallion Nursing Bottle, crap it is broke. Cool looking old bottle though. Right next to it I pulled out a bottle I was not familiar with. Turns out to be an L.E. Keeley Gold Cure for Drunkenness! :headbang: Really good condition. Found out later that it is the older version with the pour spout that dates to 1881-82. That was it for me and then Don got down and dirty and pulled out a clay pipe and a glass Top Hat looking thing. :icon_thumleft: Really a neat find. Continued on and pulled out the Emmet King medicine from New York and a couple Dr. Pitchers.

As you can see our Pit Mascot Mr. SkullDuggery was more than happy to show off his new hat and pipe. Its amazing what looks ya get when there is a skull on top of a dirt pile next to a pit. :tongue3: It was a blast and Don probed another pit about 10 feet away that has the feel of a nice old "Bottle Catcher". Until next time, don't be afraid to get down and dirty in the pits!! Be safe out there everyone. jgas
 

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Upvote 0
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Looks like a good day to me!! CONGRATS! ;D
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Another great dig for the Privy Pirates! :thumbsup: That hat is a neat find.
I gotta ask. How long (roughly) does it take you guys to dig one of those out? :icon_scratch:
How long is the bottle probe you use?

Congrats Hoosiers :hello2:
-Doug-
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Great post jgas. Always enjoy seeing your digs. :icon_thumleft:
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

What i said... You have the better bottles! :icon_thumleft: Love that hat and post!
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Nice Daisy & Button EAPG top hat. I like it. :thumbsup:

Is this piece of pressed glass a bottom to an oil lamp?-
skull10.webp
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

diggummup said:
Nice Daisy & Button EAPG top hat. I like it. :thumbsup:

Is this piece of pressed glass a bottom to an oil lamp?-

An oil lamp it is :thumbsup:
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Thanks for the replies guys. Appreciate all the replies for sure. The Hat was one cool find. We do find quite a few lamps in the pits. Must have been reading on the crapper. :tongue3:

Hey Doug, the probe rods we use are 5 feet and 6 feet long. It usually takes a couple of us about 3 hours to dig. A full day of digging from early morning to evening would get us about 3 to 4 pits. And blisters....and sore backs...but worth it. Thanks again buddy. GO HOOSIERS! jgas
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

That hat looks like an old fenton if i remember right.great dig ,sure do enjoy seeing what you find. HH
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Alright ! Nice digs :hello2: I am glad you guys are back at it ! I really like the Hat :hello2: Keep digging and keep us posted ! MaineRelic
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

I was wondering how long it took you all to dig those out as well. That's not bad time at all for all that diggin'! 8) And just look at all the keepers for your effort! 8) LOVE seeing what you find, JG! That little glass hat is cool! Congrats on all those finds.

Nana
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Great bunch of bottles. When I was a kid I used to dig out old wells for the bottles till my Dad found out and busted my butt for it. I found many. Do you ever excavate old filled in wells? I guess a privy would be the place to dispose of ones tonic though. Be fun to do one again I think.
Great finds very cool hat (carnival glass?) Thanks!
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

billn1956 said:
That hat looks like an old fenton if i remember right.great dig ,sure do enjoy seeing what you find. HH
I was thinking that too because it does look like the Fenton D&B pattern. Fenton didn't produce the daisy button pattern until the middle of the 1930's, so i'm unsure. The things that were excavated at the same level would be the best way to put a date on it. This pattern was produced and reproduced before and after that timeframe by many glass houses. They became popular in the late Victorian era and were sometimes called whimsies because of the whimsical shape and design. They were used in a variety of ways from toothpick holders to holding small bouquets to match holders and even open salt cellars. Not worth much in dollars (less than $20) but a nice piece nonetheless.
Now that DR. L.E. KEELEY'S bottle is a different story. That's a great find and worth a buck or two. :thumbsup:
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

:thumbsup:
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Hey Diggummup, Sure looks the same. The latest as far as date goes on this pit was a blob beer that was dumped in at around the 2 foot level. So I would say 1890-1900. Everything below that would have suggested 1880's-1890. Probably about a 10 year use layer. It is a cool little find as you say. Not worth much. I see the Keeleys is worth a few bucks. Not sure exactly how much but I think the Cure medicines are always decent sellers. I have never seen even bits or pieces of these. Keeley supposedly told his customers to smash the bottles after use so as not to get counterfitters to reuse them with other quack medicines. I don't see any on ebay either which is probably good. Thanks for the replies guys. :thumbsup: jgas
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

my mom had one of those hat vases. Since then, I've seen them in a couple different sizes and many colors. Very cool. Post a pix when you get that lamp cleaned up! Is it cracked?
Tigger
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

Gotta show us the cleaned up versions of those finds! They look sharp but better after the cleaning I'm sure.
 
Re: "SkullDuggery" A smoking Pit Dig!

The lamp is cracked on one side. Missing a piece, but we find these quite a bit so no biggie really. I shall clean all of it up and update the post soon. :thumbsup: jgas
 

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